Apparatus for finishing concrete floors



June 12, 1962 .1. H. MEYER 3,033,349

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING CONCRETE FLOORS Filed Feb. ll, 1960 2 Sheets-Shee 1 Arum/Vina June 12, 1962 .1.H. MEYER 3,038,349

' APPARATUS FOR FINISHING CONCRETE FLOORS Filed Feb. 11, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN /YA/QY M5 YE/e nite States This invention relates to an apparatus for finishing concrete floors, and floors made of terrazzo, concrete mixes and various other materials.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application, Serial Number 777,290, liled December 1, 1958.

In my prior Patent No. 2,133,173, I described an apparatus which can be conveniently rolled over the wet surface of the concrete mix to form a smooth wear-resisting surface formed of hard particles knitted closely together by a binding agent. This apparatus was found to be most effective in operation, but it has the drawback that it must be pulled or operated by an outside source of power. Consequently its size, usefulness and adaptability, are limited to a substantial extent.

It is known in prior lart that a rolling apparatus may carry a gasoline motor for self-propulsion. Such a selfpropelled rolling apparatus has the disadvantage that it cannot change its direction of travel from a forward to la rearward direction, and vice versa, in a smooth vibration-free manner. For fine finishing of concrete, terrazzo, and the like, however, a smooth shock-free reversal of direction is essential.

An object of the present invention is to provide an appar-atus for finishing concrete oors which allows a smooth transition from movement in the forward direction to movement in the rearward direction, and vice vers-a.

A further object is to provide a finishing apparatus which is easily constructed, maintained and repaired, and which is easily operated.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

The objects of the present invention may be realized through the provision of an apparatus for finishing concrete floors comprising a frame, rollers, a motor, and power drive means for transmitting motor shaft movement to the rollers. The power drive means comprise -a swingable gear box containing rotatable shafts on which are mounted driving memibers, which in turn are operatively connected to both the motor land the rollers. The swingable gear box and its appending parts allow a smooth transition from movement in the forward direction to movement in the rearward direction without interfering with the operation of the motor. A plurality of drive belts operatively connects the gear box driving members with the motor, and the belts are so rarranged that they may be selectively made operative or inoperative by the swinging of the gear box, resulting in either forward or rearward movement as desired.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed `description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing, vby way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view partially in cross-section of an apparatus for lnishing concrete floors of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a front view thereof partially in crosssection.

An apparatus 1t! for finishing concrete floors, is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and includes a frame 11 having side frame portions 12, 113 which are interconnected by transverse frame portions 14, 15. The apparatus also includes a middle roller 16, one pair of side rollers 17 and 18 and another pair of side rollers 19 and 20. The rollers arent r'ce 17 and 13 are located in alignment with each other on one side of the roller 16, while the rollers 19 yand 20 are also in alignment with each other `and are located on the other side of the central roller 16. The rollers 17 and 20 are idlers; they are equal in size and are located diagonally opposite each other, while the rollers 18 and 19 are also equal in size and are somewhat larger than the rollers 17 and 20.

All the rollers are hollow. The rollers 17 and 18 are carried by a shaft 21 which is mounted upon a bracket 22 located between the rollers 17 and 18 and carried by the frame portion 12. Similarly, the rollers 19 and 2li are carried by a shaft 2.3 which is mounted upon a bracket 24 located `between these rollers and carried by the frame portion 13. The central roller 16 is mounted upon ya shaft 25 supported by two brackets 26 which are carried by the frame portions 12, 13.

The frame 11 supports a motor 30` which is firmly mounted thereon and which may be a gasoline motor or the like.

Drive members, such as pulleys, sprockets and gears, and endless drive transmitting means, such as endless chains and endless belts, are utilized in transmitting power from the motor 30 to the rollers.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a lever 31 for controlling the movement of the apparatus 10. The lever 31 is attached to a rotatable shaft 32 on which is rigidly mounted a sprocket 33. A sprocket 34 is rigidly mounted on a rotatable shaft 35. An endless chain 36 connects the sprockets 33 `and 34. A crank 38 and a lever 39 are connected to shaft 35 by a pin 137 and are also connected to lche gear box 40, and the shaft 41 on which the gear box 40 is mounted. The motor 30 has a motor shaft 43 on which are mounted pulleys 44, 45. In gear box 411 there are mounted a rotatable shaft 46 having a pulley 47, and a gear 48 mounted thereon, a rotatable shaft 49 having a pulley 50, a sprocket 51, `and a gear 52 mounted thereon. A belt 53 connects the pulley 47 with the pulley 44, and -a belt 54 connects the pulley 50 with pulley 4S. The gears 48 and 52 intermesh. Sprockets 55, 56 and 57 are mounted on shaft 41, as is sprocket S8. Chain 59 connects sprockets 51 and 58. Sprockets 60a, 69h, and 60e are mounted on the axes of rollers 17, 18; 16; 19, 20; respectively, and endless chains 61, 62, 63 connect sprockets 55 and 60a; 56 and 60h, and 57 and 60C, respectively.

The rollers are provided with Scrapers used to remove the scum or lighter particles which may adhere to the work-ing surfaces of the rollers. For that purpose, an elongated scraper 64 is located adjacent the rollers 1'7 and 18 `and is suspended from the frame 11. Another similar scraper 65 is located in front of the rollers 19 and 2t) rand is also mounted on the frame 11. A scraper 66 engaging the rollers 17 and 18, a scraper 67 engaging the central roller 16, a scraper 68 engaging the rollers 19 and 2t), and a scraper 69 engaging the central roller 16, are -all carried by frame 11.

A cock 7u is mounted on shaft 35 in such a position that it is closed when the shift lever 31 is in the neutral position, and opens when lever 31 is in a position for the apparatus to be in motion. Pipes 71 connect a tank 72 to the cock 7i). A pipe 73 connects the cock 70 with a scraper, such as scraper 65, whereby the nozzle 74 sprays a liquid onto the scraper. The liquid used is a lubricating liquid, preferably consisting of water mixed with a suitable hardening agent which may have a calcium chloride base, and which when applied to the lrollers forms a lm which will be applied evenly to the floor surface and which will prevent adhesion of larger particles to the surface of the rollers. All the Scrapers can have nozzles as described.

The manner of use and operation of the embodiment of the present invention are as follows:

With lever 31 in the neutral position, belts 53 and 54 are slack and the apparatus does not move even though motor 30 rotates motor shaft 43. Moving the lever 31 to either the forward position 31a or the rearward position 311) rotates the shaft 32, thereby rotating sprocket 33, which causes movement of chain 36, which causes rotation of sprocket 34, thereby causing rotation of shaft 35, and thus causing the crank 38 and the lever 39 to swing the gear box 40 about the shaft 41. The rotation of the gear box 40 causes either the belt 53 or the belt 54 to become tightened on its pulleys, dependent upon the direction in which the gear box 40 is rotated. If, for example, the lever 31 is moved to the forward position 31a, the belt 54 is tightened and the rotation of the motor shaft 43 is imparted to the pulley 50 and the shaft 49; the rotation of the shaft 49 will be in the same direction as the rotation of the motor shaft 43. If the lever 31 is moved to the rearward position 31b, belt 53 is tightened and the rotation of the motor shaft '43 will be transmitted to the pulley 47, the shaft 46, and the gear 48 which meshes with the gear 52, imparting rotation to the shaft 49 in a direction opposite to the rotation of the shaft 43. In either event the sprocket 51 mounted on Shaft 49 rotates with shaft 49, and through the chain 59 imparts motion to the sprocket 58 mounted on shaft 41. The rotation of shaft 41 is then transmitted to rollers 17, 18; 16; and 19,v 20; by means of sprockets 55, 56, 57, 60a, 60h, 60e, and chains 61, 62, 63. The motion is either forward or backward dependent upon the direction in which the lever 31 is shifted.

When lever 31 is moved to the forward or rearward position, it causes the shaft 35 to rotate in such a manner as to open the cock 70 mounted thereon, allowing a stream of water and liquid hardener to be sprayed on the Scrapers and on the rollers, thereby aiding the hardening of the concrete.

The gasoline motor 30 may be removable for aiding in the cleaning anf repairing of the apparatus.

Among the advantages of the present invention is that a uni-directional motor may be utilized to give both forward and backward motion to the apparatus. Also the motor drive of the present invention enables the direction of travel to be changed instantly and smoothly by means of the gear box arrangement without interfering with the operation of the motor or motor shaft.

It is apparent that the described example is capable of many variations and modifications Within the scope of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

In an apparatus for finishing concrete floors having a frame, a motor mounted upon said frame and three parallel rotary driving rollers` suspended from said frame; a power transmission drive comprising, in combination, a shaft carried by said frame, a gear box swingably mounted upon said frame shaft, another rotatable shaft carried by said frame, a sprocket keyed upon said other frame shaft, a third shaft carried by said frame, a second sprocket keyed upon said third frame-shaft, an endless chain connecting said first frame-shaft sprocket with said second frame-shaft sprocket, a crank member firmly connected vwith said third frame shaft and said gear box, a lever firmly connected with said other frame shaft, whereby a movement of said lever in opposite directions is transmitted to said gear boX to cause the swinging of said gear box about said first frame shaft from a neutral position to forward and rearward driving positions, two shafts carried by said gear box, separate pulleys keyed upon the gear box shafts, separate intermeshing gears keyed upon the gear box shafts, two motor driven pulleys, separate endless belts operatively connecting each motor driven pulley with `a separate gear box pulley, said two endless belts being slack when said gear box is in its neutral position, a sprocket keyed upon one of said gear box shafts, four sprockets keyed upon said first frame shaft, an endless chain operatively connecting said gearbox-shaft sprocket with one of said frame-shaft sprockets, separate sprockets connected with each of said three rollers, an endless chain operatively connecting the second one of said frame-shaft sprockets with one of said roller sprockets, an endless chain operatively connecting the third one 0f said frame-shaft sprockets with the second one of said roller sprockets, and an endless chain operatively connecting the fourth one of said frame-shaft sprockets with the third one of said roller sprockets, one of said endless belts being tensioned when said gear box is located in said forward driving position to drive said rollers through said endless chains in one direction, the other one of said endless belts being tensioned when said gear box is located in said rearward driving position to drive said rollers through said endless chains in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,584,385 Lichtenburg May 11, 1926 2,078,900 Biles Apr. 27, 1937 2,132,059 Trembly Oct. 4, 1938 2,133,173 Meyer Oct. 11, 1938 2,197,183 Keeler Apr. 16, 1940 2,400,321 Troxell May 14, 1946 2,445,797 Moore July 27, 1948 2,688,880 Vutz Sept. 14, 1954 

